Russia Says U.S. Building 'New Berlin Wall'

July 08, 2007 12:26 GMT

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Russia Says U.S. Building 'New Berlin Wall'

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Sergei Ivanov (file photo) (Trend)
July 8, 2007 -- Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov says that U.S. plans to set up a missile-defense system in Central Europe amount to building a "new Berlin Wall."

In comments aired on the Rossiya television channel, Ivanov said placing rockets in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic "presents an obvious threat to Russia."

Russia has continually voiced its opposition to the U.S. missile-defense system that Washington says is meant to offer protection against attacks from Iran and North Korea.

Washington's plans for the missile shield have led to a further deterioration of already unsteady relations between Russia and the United States in recent months.

Russia has proposed creating a joint missile-defense system with United States and NATO participation as an alternative to Washington's current plan, but U.S. officials have treated the proposal cautiously.

(Interfax, AFP)

Moscow And Washington: Toe To Toe

Moscow And Washington: Toe To Toe

U.S. President George W. Bush (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G8 summit in Germany on June 7 (AFP)

MOUNTING TENSIONS. Relations between Russia and the United States have grown increasingly tense in recent months as issues like missile-defense, Kosovo's status, and Russia's domestic policies have provoked sharp, public differences. On June 5, U.S. President George W. Bush said democratic reforms in Russia have been "derailed"....(more)